


Doubling Perceptions

by SSAerial



Series: Tumblr Snippets [5]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-18
Updated: 2017-10-18
Packaged: 2019-01-18 23:29:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12398466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSAerial/pseuds/SSAerial
Summary: Since the recent, steadily growing magical attacks, Arthur had almost expected another one to pop up soon after the last attempt at his life. He did not, however, expect an ten years older version of himself to suddenly appear in the dining hall during supper. Well, at least he wasn’t going to get killed this time. Probably.





	Doubling Perceptions

**Author's Note:**

> Basically, I'm on a snippet posting spree and putting it on AO3 cause it's getting hard to keep track what snippets I am posting on my tumblr site, lol. Hope this makes things easier and less confusing for people and me. Enjoy reading!
> 
> EDIT: Also, um, I never mean to continue these snippets? Unless I explicitly say that I am going to continue or update more, I'm not planning to? If anyone wants to adopt the idea or gets inspired by it though, by all means, that's completely fine! :D

Arthur didn’t expect a lot of things when he dined that night. Except for the occasional snarking between him and the lovely Morgana, along with Merlin smirking at him every time he lost in said arguments, everything was going smoothly. His father was in a good mood, Merlin was being his annoying self as usual, and laughter and food was passed around with a jolly atmosphere.

That is, until a man suddenly materialized in front of everyone’s eyes.

He just appeared out of nowhere. No dramatic entrances sorcerers seem to be fond of like thunder or lightning in the background apparent when he arrived. The strangest part though was that he looked like a carbon copy of himself. Everything about him was identical except for the fact he looked much older and warier, his eyes steeled as he gripped his sword while in full armor.

While everyone had stood up from their seats from his sudden appearance, the older him only had his eyes on father, expression fluctuating quickly from shock and something wretched like vulnerable grief before settling on a stony, neutral look.

Uther was the quickest to react, glaring down at the imposter – he had to be an imposter, this just wasn’t possible – with menace.

“Who are you?” the king growled.

Imposter Arthur wasn’t the least bit cowed, his back straight and proud.

“My name is Arthur Pendragon. I am from the future.” He declared clearly and calmly. Voices erupted at the ridiculous confession, people looking at the intruder with disbelief and suspicion because  _really_? The  _future_?

Arthur couldn’t agree more with the sentiment and glared at the older him- _man_  dangerously.

“You’re a sorcerer.” Uther said in a quiet, hating tone.

To everyone’s surprise, the man cracked a sharp smile and breathed out a chuckle, the sound deep and mature. When he finished, there was evident, wry humor that Arthur has never seen before from himself, as if the very notion of what Uther said was utter nonsense.

“You have no idea how wrong you are. And I’m telling the truth.” He stated with a patient undertone that only seemed to enrage the king more.

“Prove it.” Uther snarled. Older Arthur quirked up an eyebrow challengingly in the same manner he himself would’ve in a fight.

“On my thirteenth birthday, you gave me my mother’s armlet so I could one day give it to my future Queen. Right now, the armlet I speak of is in a box hidden behind a loose brick in my own room next to my dressing wardrobe.” A small smile enveloped his mouth, his next words soft. “I gave it to my wife on our wedding night years later. She never takes it off.”

Arthur felt his chest jolt.

He’s never told anyone about that. Never. It was one of the only things that was left of his mother and he had taken extra care not to let anyone know where it was. Hell, he never even told his father who had given it to him in the first place.

And he was  _married_? The very thought dazed him and he involuntarily looked to Morgana who was staring at the older-Arthur with shrewd curiosity. He wondered over the possibility and violently shook himself out of it. Now was not the time.

Feeling all eyes turn to him for confirmation, he took in a deep breath and nodded.

“It’s true.” He admitted. Uther frowned, shoulders loosening just a bit. He looked towards the older Arthur.

“How is this possible?” he demanded.

A flash of something passed the older Arthur’s eyes before he finally shrugged, the action almost insolent since it was directed at the king.

“No idea.” He said loftily. “One minute I was in my kingdom signing papers and the next thing you know, I appeared here. In the past apparently.”

“You seem strangely calm about this.” Morgana accused, eyes cautious and interested. Odd enough, older Arthur tensed immediately when he heard her voice, quicksilver unknown emotion passing in his blue eyes exactly like his own before rolling them as if to hide his momentary reaction.

“Considering how many magical attacks I’ve faced for nearly ten years, time travel is hardly on the top of the list. Especially with that idiot involved.” The last bit was muttered and was unheard by all except Arthur, who was half convinced he misheard him. He was too busy being mindboggled over the age difference. Abruptly, the man claiming to be him clapped his hands together in an eerily familiar manner and smiled. “Well, considering the fact that I’m starved and tired and am not up for discussion at the moment about when I came from, am I allowed to have some dinner?”

Somewhere at the back, Arthur heard Merlin snort with amusement despite the overwhelming situation. Evidently, the future Arthur heard Merlin as a small grin graced his face. Out of everything that was happening then, the fact that future him was actually sharing amusement with his servant sent him reeling.

It was just plain  _weird._

Uther blinked, startled by the straightforward enquiry directed at him, before slowly nodding.

“Very well. We may discuss afterwards.” Uther snapped his fingers, his gaze directing at Merlin piercingly. “Manservant, get Arthur, older Arthur, some dinner. Now.” He barked out, barely stumbling over the confusing sentence with a severe tone. At the corner of Arthur’s attention, he watched as his older self actually bristle, eyes flashing with staggering anger that confounded him because it was on  _Merlin’s_  behalf. Sure the order could’ve been said in a less hostile way, but that didn’t explain why older Arthur seemed more affected by it than the servant himself.

He barely had the chance to think this when older Arthur smiled, eyes frigid and colder than winter.

“There’s no need for that. I can always just set my dinner myself you know. I’m not a child.” He said lightly, though one had to be deaf, dumb, and blind to not sense the warning tone that dared anyone to go against him. Arthur saw Merlin startle at the defense. The whole hall seemed to automatically straighten at the authoritative tone, including himself. He was awestruck from how regal he looked, eyes fierce and brewing a storm while he defied his- _their_  father so damn easily.

It was a tone that Uther completely ignored as he frowned.

“Nonsense. It is a servant’s job to serve its king.”

“And yet I am insisting it’s not needed. I assure you, there is no need. Father.” He added the last part with some hesitance, yet he did not back down from his words, gaze direct and unwavering.

Uther pursed his lips before he reluctantly nodded.

“Very well.” He grudgingly agreed.

Older Arthur nodded before picking up a clean, unused plate from one of the tables, harvesting food off the tables while everybody stared at him in silence, not sure what to do. Older Arthur didn’t seem bothered by their scrutiny and simply picked up his utensils before heading over to the end of one of the tables, effectively far away from where the royal family and the knights sat. Arthur wondered whether this action was deliberate avoidance or not.

Slowly, time seemed to finally move on again as people began to eat as well, though it was obvious that their interest was still directed at the currently eating time traveler. He glanced to his side to see that his father was observing his older self stonily while Morgana was blatantly staring with open fascination and sly inquisitiveness that predicted nothing good.

Merlin was scrambling around the tables and trying to take the peoples’ minds off their new occupant with his clumsy behavior and stories. He did not, however, miss the focused intent looks Merlin was throwing at older Arthur’s direction, eyes perplexingly grim with rare seriousness.

Arthur internally shrugged as he stabbed a piece of chicken with his fork. Looks like he was going to have to wait for answers. For now, it was probably best to relax while he still could. He had a feeling things were going to get a lot more hectic around here.

It says a lot about his life that he was taking all of this in a stride instead of hyperventilating, no matter how tempting the option sounded.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my tumblr page:  
> http://aerialflight.tumblr.com/post/166526008708/doubling-perceptions-merlin-time-travel-snippet


End file.
